


I just want you, forever

by Illyrianwitchling



Series: Mutual mixtape [1]
Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: 1k celebration, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Marriage Proposal, but thats not new, cardan loves jude more than anything, he just wants to marry her, mutual mixtape, the wedding song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26029294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illyrianwitchling/pseuds/Illyrianwitchling
Summary: “I don’t want to wait. I want you as my wife,” he argued back.“And I want to be your wife, but right now it’s,” Jude took a calming breath, shutting her eyes and she let it out, “Cardan we can’t.”
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Series: Mutual mixtape [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889401
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65





	I just want you, forever

**Author's Note:**

> This was apart of my 1k celebration on tumblr called mutual mixtape.  
> song of choice: The wedding song, Hadestown  
> request by: Alittledribbledrabble

Cardan sat at his too small of a desk. A chair that groaned with years of use and his legs hit the brick wall behind the second-hand desk. His laptop open while he typed away. The last big purchase he made before his parents cut him off. 

_Greenbriars go in the family business, they aren’t authors Cardan._ His father’s voice echoed in his mind. That was two years ago. Cardan was still here at working away on it. He had the deal, the editor, and all the support in the world from Jude. All he had to do was write it. Easy enough. Or it should be. Plot points change, characters have a mind of their own. Anyone that knew Cardan, knew that he poured his heart and soul into each and every word.

His stomach grumbled as he stared into the bright white screen. He couldn’t think not when his mind was so focused on food. Jude would be home any minute with dinner and he couldn’t be more excited. Typically they don’t order out. Most months were a struggle. They had each other. It was all he could ask for. The condo and the lavish open floored apartment he had was nice. Every luxury you could think of, Cardan had it. Jude too when she moved in. And Jude. After the months of aggravation and will they, won’t they coated with I hate yous. She ended up being the best thing in this life. Encouraging him to chase his dreams of being a writer and not the cutthroat world of corporate business. When his father demanded Cardan join the family business and disgraced Jude. He walked away. 

Now he, and Jude live in a shabby one-bedroom apartment. It wasn’t the best, things fell apart sometimes, dishwashers, stoves, and the like. One time their apartment was broken into. The lock was ridiculous. It was the reason for a break-in. Instead of inserting the key halfway, turning slightly to the left, and then pushing the key fully in. They left it alone. On this side of the city, it wasn’t a good idea. Eventually, the lesson was learned. But They were together. Cardan would live in an alleyway if it meant Jude would be by his side.

The keys jostled in the lock. He heard a “Come on you fucker,” the sounds of keys crashing on the worn-in floor followed by a “damnit.”

He pushed away from the desk, wheels of his chair rolling against the wood floors. Cardan dashed over to the door, Undoing the chains as the fell dangling in mid-air. Quickly he pulled the knob, allowing Jude to step in. She muttered out thanks while he picked up her keys, shutting the door and locking it once again.

Jude plopped on the couch. Setting the bag of Chinese on the coffee table, pulling out container after container of food. He could smell the spices of ginger and garlic wafting through the air. Cardan sat on the couch with her as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks, handing it to him. Amber eyes meeting his a cool smile on her lips. His heart flipped the way it usually does when she looked at him like that. 

“What do you wanna watch?” she asked opening the take out containers, Handing Cardan a container of General Tso’s. Jude laid out packets of fortune cookies, soy sauce, a box of eggrolls, and a larger container full of shrimp fried rice before grabbing hers full of chicken lo mein, “Vi gave me her Netflix account. We could watch the Witcher, she suggested leaning into the sofa, thigh to thigh with Cardan.”

Cardan fixed her a look, “Again? How many times did you watch it before we canceled.”

She shrugged, catching noodles in between her chopsticks, “Are you jealous of a fictional character?” she quipped.

He was silent for too long, “No,” he lied.

“You watched it for Yenn and you _did_ admit Geralt was hot. That you wouldn’t mind being in between them,” she smirked at him, a challenge illuminating her eyes while taking a bite of her noodles.

Cardan rolled his eyes turning on the tv and handing the remote over, “I said I wouldn’t. I also said it wouldn’t be as much fun without you. Besides saying they’re hot and watching obsessively are different.”

“Semantics asshole,” Jude went to the Netflix app entering her sister’s information. Going to her show and playing, “ I don’t watch obsessively. We didn’t have Netflix for two months.”

“Ah there’s my sweet nemesis with her beautiful pet names,” Cardan teased, kissing her sweetly before leaning into the couch, taking his food and an egg roll with him, “ I love you. Thanks for getting dinner.”

“I love you too. You’re welcome. Now shush my husband is on.”

He laughed to himself, grabbing a bite of his food. That word unexpectedly struck him. _Husband._

Four years they’ve been together. In three months to the day, it would make five. Before he lost all his money, Cardan planned on proposing. It was the driving point to work in Greenbriar Corp. The ring. The perfect ring for Jude cost more than what their little humble apartment and everything in it was worth. The gold band, with an elaborate detailing of vine that curved around with not a diamond, but a ruby. That matched the fierceness and fire in her soul. The flame in her that when he got close and touched it engulfed him wholly. When Jude found out why he wanted to work with his family. She pushed him harder not too. Not because she didn’t want to spend all of her days with him. Jude didn’t want the guilt of his misery aiding their next step in life. Him being out and away from his abusive family was more important than any ring, any wedding. After being cut off, they made a pact. Cardan could propose after his first successful book deal. Until then times would be hard. There would be no wedding, no honeymoon, and no engagement ring. Finances were always tight and they were under enough stress already. Adding a ring and a wedding they couldn’t afford on top of it. It stressed her just to think. 

Cardan stopped eating, watching Jude sitting Indian style on the couch. Auburn hair held by a thin band into a ponytail. Wearing his black hoodie and leggings that matched. Holding the white carton with the red lettering in one hand. Chopsticks in the other. Eyes fully focused on the tv as she mouthed the lines from the show. Absentmindedly feeding herself a mouthful of noodles. Occasionally slurping them with a loud smack from her lips. It was a side of her nobody ever saw except for him. At the gym as a boxing teacher, people only saw the tough ruthless Jude than pushed them until they cried. Most of everyone else she kept away from given years of trust issues and living with Vi’s father and a stepmother who hated her. 

In the beginning, Jude wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. Loving her seemed to be an impossible task. Yet he completed it. Watching her blissfully content in an almost innocent, childlike way made reasoning settle inside him. He wanted her. Forever. The terms boyfriend, girlfriend seemed less for what they were as a couple. Cardan didn’t care about the rings, the wedding, and the honeymoon well that could come later. It wasn’t necessary. Not in the long run. What mattered was she his, and he hers.

“Jude,” his tone serious. He reached for the remote. Pausing the show.

She turned, slurping up a noodle. At first, she went to glare, but then noticed the way he looked at her. Like she was the beginning and end of everything. Some rare treasure in the world that he found. Yet his face paled looking sickly, “Cardan? What’s wrong?”

“You know you mean everything to me right?” he asked, wringing his arms.

Setting her food on the coffee table she looked at him wearily. Unsure of where he was going. Jude answered him slowly, “yes.”

“Good, “ he sucked in a breath, “Marry me.”

There was a moment of silence. Jude blinked so slowly Cardan thought time had frozen. A sad smile fell on her lips taking his hand in hers, “Cardan,” she swallowed thickly, hating breaking his heart. Hating to admit the reason why “we can’t. Not now, you know this and we promised.”

“We just need each other. Get married in front of a judge. I don’t care about anything else and I know you don’t,” His thumb running along the base of her ring finger.

“I don’t know. I mean who’s gonna afford the wedding bands and it costs to get married in a court. Times are hard as it is and it’s getting harder all the time. Last month you almost lost your job,” his expression unreadable, “One day we will. We stick to the plan. Finish the book and we can.

“I don’t want to wait. I want you as my wife,” he argued back.

“And I want to be your wife, but right now it’s,” Jude took a calming breath, shutting her eyes and she let it out, “Cardan we can’t.”

“We can get cheap rings off Amazon. When I publish this book we get better ones. Have a honeymoon, buy a huge place. I promise. For now, none of that matters. I just want you as my wife,” cupping her cheek, his eyes met hers. His voice wracked with emotions

“That’s all you want?” she asked scooting closer to him.

“Yes. I’ll watch videos and learn how to make them. I don’t care.” 

Jude was moved by the determination and desperation in his onyx eyes. She’s known Cardan for eight years. Knew when he wouldn’t give up. Before she tumbled into a romance with him. Jude had known that if Cardan was set on something that was it. He wouldn’t let it go. Promises were something he never broke. Removing her phone from the pocket of his hoodie, she dialed Vi and put it on speaker. The phone rang twice before she answered.

“Hey!”

“Vi, you’re on speaker. Cardan and I. We have a question.”

Cardan gave his love a curious looked, Jude pressed a finger to her lips.

“Hey Card. So what’s up?”

“You mentioned before Heather took metalworking classes. Right?” 

“ Yea for art. Why?”

Jude looked over at Cardan flashing him a grin. Her attitude changed drastically within seconds. Going from sympathy and being set in the matter to excited and hopeful. He wasn’t sure what Jude was planning. That brilliant mind of hers was always working in wondrous ways. She looked at him and mouthed, _are you sure?_ To which nodded and mouthed back, _more than anything._ Cardan didn’t miss the flush in her cheeks as she bit her lip. The look was far from a normal Jude Duarte. Which meant he would tease her about it. Relentlessly. He grinned back. sliding his fingers in between hers.

“Hello?”

“Sorry. Could she make wedding bands? For Cardan and I.”

Silence. Then Vi erupted in a scream, filled with excitement. They could hear her shouting for Heather. Not asking but, telling Heather she was going to make it. Jude and Cardan both were thankful the phone wasn’t on either of their ears. Jude looked over Cardan. The glimmer wetness in his coal eyes matched hers. She mouthed to him, ask me again. 

He did, _Jude Duarte, will you marry me?_

She mouthed back to him, yes.


End file.
